revit import detect no valid elemnts in file's paper space over and over agian

[gnarkill283]

So I took this forum's advice and linked rather than imported cad files. Now every time someone open's the file in our office, 10 prompts come up asking the following "import detect no valid elements in file's paper space. Do you want to import from the model space?" I tried to link the CAD file in my drafting views but it always had an error saying it wasn't visible in this view and it would link into the sheet instead. I don't know why it does this but I didn't have time to figure it out. So I would copy the link into the drafting view and delete the link on the sheet. What do I have to do so I stop annoying everyone in my office because of my cad links' prompts?

[Sahay_R]

Just had the exact same thing happen, but during the link process Revit told us that it didn't see anything in model space. Fixed it by exploding everything in the AutoCAD DWG, purge, and overkill. Worked like a charm.

[gnarkill283]

I'm not sure why this would be a solution for my problem. The model space components are showing up fine. I want to stop the prompt from asking about paper space which has a default sheet. I've seen just one other thread talking about this on another website but it says that it doesn't give this prompt if the cad is linked in the drafting view because then it looks at the model space first. The problem with this is that Revit refused to link in the drafting view and would instead link it on the sheet even thought I was inside the drafting view. I'm not going to relink these files again. I already had to once because of bad communication in my company where someone unloaded all missing cad files because they didn't have our office's server pathed........

[kadmonkee]

anytime i use an AutoCAD file to link into my model as part of a model view, I always save it as a copy in a central location for the putrposes of Linking only and strip away anything in Paper Space and Purge it out.

this is usually a temporay link as I may be transfering info into the revit model and dropping the link later.

even on a more perminent usage leave nothing in Paper space regardless of Model view or Drafting view.

it makes for a cleaner file 

[gnarkill283]

Every time I try to link a cad file, even if I pick manual center or origin to origin, the following prompt comes up "None of the created elements are visible in ... you may want to check the active view, its paramaters, and visiblity settings". I can then never find it unless I am on a sheet and clicked into a view, then it will appear randomly on the sheet, which I then copy and paste into the drafting view and then delete the other one on the sheet. WHY is this happened? What is the solution. And is the solution to my original question going to require me to relink? I don't understand what I could possibly be doing so wrong...

[gnarkill283]

This is exactly what I've been doing. I copy the contents of the original cad into a brand new cad file and then link it into revit with 0 info on paper space, just whatever cad adds by default (which I did also delete and a new default one comes up and it still brings up the prompt)

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

Can you link the CAD file while you actually opening the drafting view, not just activate it on a sheet?

[gnarkill283]

Sure I can but that would have been good to know from the beginning... Usually I create the callout and then put it on a sheet, and work from there like I imagine most people do. Nowhere did Revit prompt me to link straight from the drafting view and not from a sheet into a drafting view or I would have all these problems...

Now I guess I'm going to have to relink them aren't I? After all the placing and fixing of graphics... Just to get rid of these stupid prompts.

Well I'm trying to do that now and I guess I'll have to unload all again because when I try to link one that's already in the drafting view, it says "at least one instance of this link already exists... Continuing will create a new instance for this link and reload it..." I'm okay with continuing but then it brings in the cad link as just a flat line - which I believe is probably a plan view that isn't flipped to the elevation/section view...

And when I unload the previous cad link to link the special way revit wants to, it again prompts that "none of the created elements are visibile..." and I can't find it anywhere.

So although I'd rather get beaten to a pulp than relink these goddamn cad links again, I guess I'll have to to stop annoying my coworkers with the 10+ "import detect no valid elments" prompts when they open the model right???

[gnarkill283]

OR better yet, maybe I should listen to a coworker who says they bring in cad files by linking it into a family first - WHAT ABOUT THAT?

[gnarkill283]

I ended up relinking them through separate drafting views. I apologize if my angry posts here seem to be aimed at those who responded but its definitely not. I appreciate all the help on here. The posts are just me venting my frustration in the hopes that maybe revit employees might see them.

Anyway if anyone cares to comment on linking cad files through families instead of directly in a drafting view, that would be much appreciated as well. Thanks.

[Keith_Wilkinson]

For anyone else having issues with this we've found that it can occur when the drawing is in a newer DWG format from the version of Revit being used.

Saving the DWG back as an earlier version fixed our issue for the problematic files.

[Anonymous]

REVIT 2019: Link in a CAD file while in model view and NOT from an activated model view while you are on a sheet.  If you're on a sheet and activate a view and Insert CAD Link, Revit probably gets confused and wonders if you want Paper space elements...since you're technically in a 'sheet view.'  Instead, open the Model view ( full screen) and Insert CAD Link.   

[Anonymous]

Thanks a Ton !

Your message helped me !!

[sacUT8MR]

Amazing! This worked like a charm. Thank you.

[edanastas]

When I open the model I'm getting this error, but I don't know what CAD file is causing the issue or what sheet it's on. Does anyone know if there is a log file that can locate the ID of the element causing the error?

[SteveKStafford]

Did you try saving the DWG file in an older format as suggested in an earlier reply?

[edanastas]

At this point I'm just trying to find where the linked CAD is or which CAD file it is so I can locate it. I attached the error that I get in the last post I did, but not sure if there is a log file that records these errors in more detail?

[SteveKStafford]

If the file is saved in a newer version than your version of Revit is able to display then you won't ever see it. Resolve the version issue first. That should eliminate that warning if that's the issue.